First Player

Chapter 7 · "I'm waiting for spring (the end)" (Additional update from the leader of "Yilong")

Fiery pain spread throughout his limbs.

Between the data of 0 and 1, the central building collapsed in the vibration. The sky screams and the atmosphere cracks. Every brick and tile of the building was flying in the strong wind.

Su Ming'an fell from a high altitude, and the first ray of dawn spilled into the city through the gap, like a dawn light rain during the day.

He held Lin Guang and fell downwards. The sunlight rushed in, carefully carving their blood-stained clothes. His eyes were filled with shock, and inch by inch sunlight poured into his pupils.

He could not clearly see the situation in the city-state, nor could he clearly see the bricks and stones splashing around him. The endless stream of data of 0s and 1s surrounding Lin Guang made the two of them fall slowly, as if they were floating on a gurgling white river.

Lin Guang's white hair was flying like flowing liquid silver. Even the Hanfu is rising upwards.

He looked at Su Ming'an with confusion and confusion in his eyes, as if there was a thin barrier between them. The helpless sadness and regret burned like fireworks in those pale eyes.

"Luvis..." Lin Guang called in a low voice, as if his whole body was filled with sea water.

Su Mingan stared into Lin Guang's eyes and re-examined this soul.

"'Love' is...what?" Lin Guang's eyes were almost pleading.

He placed his hand on his heart:

"Is love hopeless?"

He put his fingers on the bandaged gunshot wound again.

"Is love pain?"

Then came his sad eyes.

"Is love meant to die?"

Grief swept through him like a hurricane. Even though he had asked so many people, he still couldn't find the answer.

He simply cannot support a person with complete logic. So he is strong yet fragile, innocent yet cruel, sensitive yet slow, like a tree growing in reverse.

When he saw Luvis being elected to the altar by the people, he could only watch it all from a distance in the City of God. When he saw Luvis silently accepting everyone's anger, how he wished...

——For a moment, he was able to walk to him.

His white hair was tangled in the wind, like a long night drifting in the snow, and there was mist-like sadness in his eyes.

Su Mingan's eyebrows trembled, and he suddenly knew how to answer Lin Guang. He replied——

"Lin Guang. What you are doing now is 'love'."

Lin Guang stared blankly at the look in Su Ming'an's eyes.

It was this... extremely vivid expression again, an expression that he couldn't understand. For a person like him who was born in a black shell, his expression was untouchable.

He felt hot pain on his body, not from the wounds, but because he felt that he was being held by Luvis, which made him almost burnt.

But he hugged his friend tighter and tighter, as if he was hugging a ball of fire that would burn him out, like primitive humans' desire for fire.

His dark Hanfu gradually became stained with a sticky transparent color, like a black rose withering. The figure gradually faded, as if it was blending into the skylight.

The program's mission is over and he is disappearing.

"Ling Guang - wait, didn't you say you wanted to stay? Didn't you say you wanted to learn the Chinese character Long Guo and show it to me? Didn't you say you would send me Spring Festival couplets every year? And tea, you haven't tried it with sulfuric acid yet. , why don't you take a bath anymore?" Su Mingan noticed that Lin Guang was becoming transparent: "Wait a minute..."

Obviously...he knew what Lin Guang had experienced in the past, and knew what kind of pain Lin Guang had endured. Why so soon...

They had only been friends for a minute.

His eyes suddenly became very sore, and this feeling was different from previous losses.

It was as if I had seen a story really come to an end and write an ending.

If you want to wear Hanfu, just wear it. I won't mistake it again.

How far have you learned the Chinese character "龙国"? Will you make typos again? I haven't seen it yet.

Didn't you say you developed fried strawberries? It doesn't sound too tasty, but I might try it.

I promise to be friends with you, Lin Guang, I promise.

You are not Lu Shu, really.

You are Linguang, the unique Linguang.

It's too late though.

The unspeakable layout, the wall-facer who is tight-lipped, unable to understand the process of love, 0321 whose nature has been distorted by the gods...

This friendship came too late.

The air was dyed a light gray with black spots, and their reflections flickered in the neon signs on the tall buildings, like glowing shells.

Among the bricks and tiles flying in the sky, Lin Guang's hug was very tight, as if he was trying to squeeze his strength into his ribs, and his fingers were as hard as steel hoops. Even hugs are aggressive.

"[I give you the loyalty of a person who has never had faith.]" He whispered:

"[I give you the core of myself that I have managed to preserve—the core that does not mingle with words, that does not trade with dreams, that is untouched by time, joy, and adversity.]"

"[I give you an interpretation of your life, a theory of yourself, your true and amazing existence. I give you my loneliness, my darkness, the hunger of my heart.]"

"[I try to impress you with confusion, danger, failure.]"

"Lovis, I'm just a program."

"I know." Su Mingan's voice was mixed with bitterness: "I know."

"But Lovis, if I am the coldest program from the beginning, with no self-thinking, no desire to explore, and no ability to perceive emotions-"

"If I can make countermeasures according to the program perfectly from the beginning. Instead of being such a half-finished product that is almost human-"

"There will be failures, there will be injuries, there will be touches, there will be a backlog of sludge-like emotions, imperfections, incompleteness, regrets, things like mirrors and mirrors..."

Linguang's voice trembled:

"——If I was a perfect trap program from the beginning, and didn't have the memories and flaws of 'Lin Guang' and 'Lu Shu' like I do now..."

There was an almost broken struggle in his eyes:

"——Am I not going to feel as reluctant to give up as I do now?"

From the past to the present, from the present to the future. There were so many people holding lanterns walking towards Su Ming'an. Some people turned into white birds flying high on the bell tower, some became a monument, some slept under the lotus pond, some jumped off the cliff for him, some opened the icy blue Manzhu Shahua...

And what will he become?

A piece of data that leaves nothing behind?

"You were not him in the first place." Su Mingan said, "It's okay if you don't have his memory, you are who you are."

"Is he that good?" Even if Lin Guang didn't say who "he" was, the two of them understood.

Su Mingan nodded.

"I'm fine too." Lin Guang said.

Su Mingan nodded again.

Of course you are fine.

Between the crumbling masonry, their black and white hair was raised high, like the shadows of flying butterflies. The dawn of new life spills from the cracks in the masonry and into the eyes of every city-state resident.

The Hanfu and the blood-stained robe rubbed together, like a pair of butterflies dancing in the air. The two people's whole bodies were stained with sunlight. Even though they were falling, they seemed to be coexisting with the dawn.

They are slowly falling in the long river of data of 0 and 1, as if they are swimming in this cycle of time.

"Am I your friend?"

——And Lin Guang said this in Su Ming'an's ear:

"Are you the friend you don't regret?"

Maybe a long time passed, or maybe it was just a moment.

Su Mingan responded in a low voice:

"yes."

Lin Guang's stiff face smiled slightly:

"Thanks."

"Although I still don't understand... what 'love' is."

"I kind of want to cry."

"If I was the first one to meet you, if I didn't have the reminder of 'camp BOSS' on my body, if I wasn't twisted into this by the gods, is there even the slightest possibility that we could have become friends earlier?"

"..."

Su Mingan's eyes trembled.

Then he responded firmly:

"yes."

You who are not stained with haze, you who do not have mud in your eyes.

You are so determined, you are so eager for friendship, you are so pure and innocent, and you are able to learn decades of tea making, Longguo calligraphy, painting, and flute music for the sake of your friends’ preferences.

If in the beginning, I really met you like that.

I will definitely become friends with you.

…But there are no ifs.

At the end of the dissipation, the two landed. Amidst the cracking of the earth and the splashing of bricks and tiles, Lin Guang tremblingly took out a bamboo flute.

The quiet sound of the flute came from his lips, and he thought of all his experiences with Luvis. He didn't have time to play the flute music written for forty years to Lewis one by one, so he only played the original "Missing".

At that time, the white-haired representative stood at the door of the garden villa in District 11. The white grid surrounded the lights during the day, making the clear water shine brightly, as if setting up a long bridge of water and light. bridge.

The agent's white hair was blowing in the wind, like frost and snow that had not melted for thousands of years.

A gust of wind.

The two people from forty years ago looked at each other.

——It seems like eternity.

Su Mingan let out a shaky laugh.

Lin Guang smiled slightly, like the spring breeze under the snow.

His figure became more and more transparent, like a bubble that was about to burst, including his pale face and flying white hair... they were all dissipating uncontrollably, like a butterfly that was gradually breaking apart.

He played the flute, his voice getting lower and lower, but there was joy in his eyes that almost ignited people——

Lewis.

——I used Lu Shu’s model to learn how to make friends. When we first met, I expressed my joy for my friend, hoping that you would become the light in my life.

——I use Lu Shu’s tone to deal with your enemies, angrily scolding those who hate you.

——I use Lu Shu’s tea art and Lu Shu’s usual pets to communicate with you.

——I use Lu Shu’s hair color, Lu Shu’s similar figure, and Lu Shu’s paranoia and confusion to face this cruel world. It’s even just because I’m similar to Lu Shu that I attracted your attention.

But I am not Lu Shu, and I do not even belong to life itself. I hate being wronged, but the most ironic thing is that everything I do is based on being wronged.

Without a direction and bottom line to stick to, there is no blank paper of life.

Just like I don't understand why you are so sad now.

...as if he was about to cry.

"...I won't be alone anymore."

Lin Guang's flute sound paused, and there was a cry in his voice. He pressed closer to Su Ming'an, as if this could become a real life:

"...Someone is holding me."

…

"Uuuuuu——"

The last syllable came from the flute.

Then there was a clang and the bamboo flute rolled down.

Su Mingan felt a lightness in her arms, and a butterfly suddenly flew beside her. It was small and like a flame. It surrounded him lovingly, like a gentle fire.

Perhaps it was an hallucination brought about by fatigue. He saw that the top was no longer the falling bricks, but the falling ginkgo leaves. The dawn cast soft golden-red light and shadow through the tree shadows. The leaves shattered the light, and the light Melting Yu Ye, licking his clothes inch by inch, the light was so warm that it made people feel dizzy.

Then he saw a very big Samoyed.

A big dog with pure white fur stands under the ginkgo tree, with crimson butterflies dancing around it. The magenta from the sky kisses its down, and it seems to be dyed by the sun.

And it held its head high, like a lone wolf watching the dawn, maintaining its unchanged posture for a long time, always waiting under the tree, its eyes bright, as if it was waiting for someone.

It has been waiting for a long, long time... it has transcended the long-term public hatred, fear and sorrow, endured 2,300 simulated despair, confusion and loneliness, and has the most noble loyalty and persistence.

When Su Mingan met his eyes, it stared at him closely.

"Woof."

It barked at him.

It seemed like he was calling Lewis.

Dawn rises from the distance, showing the miracle of night turning into day. There seems to be a rooster crow at dawn in the distance, one after another, singing a hundred harmony. Wisps of warm light slid down from the sky inch by inch, illuminating all the darkness around Samoyed. Those dry grasses, those flower buds that have not yet bloomed, those little lives in the soil... slowly broke through the soil and poked their heads out, enjoying the beauty of the dawn.

They were shielded from the cold rain all night by the body of the Samoyed, and finally welcomed a new life at the moment of the arrival of the sun, full of spring.

The Samoyed, who had withstood the cold rain all night, shook off the heavy raindrops on his body and slowly lowered his head.

Its weak body fell down bit by bit, its light-colored eyes closed bit by bit, and its white hair that looked like sunlight was fluttering in the wind.

"Woof."

It barked weakly at Su Ming'an again.

As if saying goodbye to him.

When it fell, the surroundings were quiet and solemn.

The clouds and mist dispersed, and all the rivers seemed to gather in its eyes.

——At dawn, the Samoyed died in the rain, but the creatures it protected lived forever in the sunshine.

"Uuuuuu——"

The flute stopped.

Su Ming'an still maintained the hugging posture, as if he was holding the sunshine of an entire city-state.

Grains of white light scattered gently from his cheeks, arms, and chest, like pure white butterflies. The Hanfu embroidered with pine and bamboo, the fluttering white hair, and the pair of light-colored pupils that stared closely at him... have all disappeared.

There was a lump in his throat, and he could no longer see the Samoyed in the fantasy, nor the white-haired young man in reality.

His hands subconsciously tightened forward, but they couldn't touch any body temperature.

"Lin Guang...?" He shouted softly, as if he was afraid of breaking something.

He lowered his head and looked into his arms, but couldn't see anything.

Lin Guang disappeared. Only white light, like small butterflies, flew across his hair and robe.

"Bang--!"

A bamboo flute rolled beside his feet, with a line of crooked Dragon Kingdom characters "Gift to Supply Luvis" engraved on it.

"Lin Guang?"

Su Mingan called out again, the corners of her lips were wet with bitterness:

"Lin Guang...?"

No one responded.

There was nothing but flying masonry in front of him.

His newfound friends dissipated.

His vision began to blur, uncontrollable tears welled up in his eyes, and all that was left in front of him was dazzling white, like a ray of light deep in the fog.

A sharp sense of pain and loss spread from his internal organs. He covered his face, sadness filled his skull, as if a hand was squeezing his heart, and his eyes were filled with resonant hallucinations and double images.

"Lin..."

He said one word and took a heavy breath. My throat was sticky, I spit out a mouthful of blood, and my head hurt as if it had been split open with a knife.

There was only a silver-white pistol engraved with lilies and butterflies that fell to the ground in front of him. There seemed to be a pair of light-colored eyes watching him.

…

[Lovis, come take a walk with me. 】

…

[Lovis, I want to be friends with you. I learned a new song and want to play it to you. 】

…

[Lovis, because I knew you were coming, I let every flower in the garden stay at its most beautiful moment. Spring is here, look! Spring is here, and this is the spring I prepared for you! 】

…

[Lovis, when the war is over, I will definitely become friends with you. 】

…

[Lovis, the lilies are blooming so beautifully today, I want to give them to you. 】

…

【Lovis...】

…

【Lovis...】

…

【Lovis. 】

【what is love? 】

…

…

Love is the courage to die for a person, a thing, or even the world.

Even though that person doesn’t even have a name, appearance, or love. The friendship he longed for, Lovis' care, human emotions and smiles didn't belong to him either. The whole world, including the gods, was treating him badly.

But in the end he chose love.

Silent and tragic, romantic and desperate.

…

what is love?

…

——No need to ask.

…

…

That day, it rained all night in the two-dimensional world, and stopped at the moment the bell rang.

That day, a beautiful, elf-like crimson butterfly flew across the night sky, like tearing through the cracks in the night, carrying the flower fairy who brought spring.

People woke up from the resonance, raised their heads, hugged each other, and moved forward.

Only one person remained.

There is no longer a white-haired young man in the world who would call him "Lovis". There is no longer the Chinese character Long Guo that he has not finished learning, his more than a thousand paintings, his unfinished drafts, or the flute music that he has not been able to play. There is also tea that he has not improved yet.

His 40-year wait was over. He wrote 123 studies, made 32 paintings, and compiled 287 threads...

That's all he has left.

Summer insects cannot speak of ice.

Live with his memory as dawn approaches.

In this way, he never died. As a friend, he sincerely wishes him eternal happiness.

Goodbye, my one minute friend.

what is love?

No need to ask.

…

…

After the white-haired young man dissipated, the surrounding buildings lost their obstruction, and bricks and rubbles began to squeeze down towards Su Ming'an.

Noel, who was standing not far away, saw Su Mingan standing motionless among the buildings.

"——Su Mingan! Get away!!" Noel shouted.

It was as if the slow-down button was suddenly pressed. In Noel's sight, Su Mingan slowly fell forward. With the dawn rising behind you.

Su Ming'an's eyes were fixed on the distant morning light for a moment, as if he wanted to freeze this morning in his retina forever, and then he quickly lost his sight, and his eyes lightly glanced at Noel.

The eyes gradually turned into nothingness, as if the color suddenly faded.

Noel's breathing stopped for a moment, and he almost thought he would drown in that glance.

...why he felt a way.

... He seems to be losing Su Ming'an at any time.

With a "pop" sound, Su Mingan fell into the rain. The rain covered his ears, and his face was pale, like a corpse covered with grayish white. If he died one day, it would be like this.

The invasion of rose blood, his long-term whispers, the abuse of mental stabilizing drugs, the emotional resonance of repeated self-mutilation, the tight mental pressure, and the pain of loss. The negative effects pile up to the point of suffocation.

He kept falling in a daze, like falling into the deep sea.

…

While unconscious, Su Mingan had a dream.

In the dream, a young man with white hair was holding an umbrella and waiting for him in the rain.

Rain dripped down the oil-paper umbrella. Su Mingan stepped forward and stood side by side with the white-haired young man, looking at the ginkgo tree in the distance.

The silky spring rain fell on the leaves, rolling up the golden sky, like golden butterflies flying in the wind. Perhaps because of the dream, Su Mingan's thoughts were a little blurry. He didn't know who the white-haired young man was, nor why he dreamed of this young man.

"What's your name?" Su Mingan asked.

"..." The white-haired young man answered him.

"What's your name?" Su Mingan didn't hear clearly and asked again.

"..." The white-haired young man answered him, still repeating the answer.

"I've asked you twice, but every time you say your name, I forget it." Su Mingan was a little annoyed.

His nose suddenly felt sore. It seems that it is a pity that the white-haired young man has no name.

The white-haired young man was slightly startled, but raised his lips and smiled.

He has a pair of light-colored pupils, white hair like flowing mercury, and a gentle and pure white temperament, like a smiling angel Samoyed that is not stained with mud:

"It doesn't matter. I don't have a name, and it doesn't matter."

"As long as you're my friend."

He came closer and touched Su Mingan's forehead with his forehead, as if to comfort him.

Although Su Mingan didn't know the young man's name, he thought that the young man must have a nice name.

He and the white-haired young man stood side by side in the rain, staring at the endless heavy rain. Rain poured down from the sky, spilling into the grass around them, and blowing away the ginkgo leaf carpet on the ground.

The rainwater gathered and scattered all over the place, like white flowers in full bloom.

They waited for a long, long time, until Su Ming'an forgot why he was standing here.

Until the white-haired young man took out a bamboo flute and began to play it quietly. This was a tune that Su Ming'an had never heard before, and the sound was crisp and pleasant.

…

So Su Mingan asked the white-haired young man:

"what are you waiting for?"

The white-haired young man raised his head when he heard the words. The moonlight shone on his flying white hair, like melting the white snow on the top of the mountain that never melts all year round.

Between the dark green mountains, a lone wild goose was flying across the sky. Flying towards the warm south.

When the first ray of sunlight shone on the white-haired young man's shoulders, his figure gradually dissipated, like bubbles being blown away.

The white-haired young man smiled softly, and finally touched Su Ming'an's forehead with his forehead. There was no impurity in that smile, as if it was a kind of pure happiness——

All I could see was the dawn light filling the sky, like shooting stars during the day.

"Me." He said before disappearing:

"I'm waiting for spring..."

…

…

[It’s so nice to meet you, Lewis. 】

…

[Be friends with me, Lewis. 】

…

[Be friends with me, Lewis. 】

…

【friend. 】

…

【friend. 】

…

【like. 】

【like? 】

…